With the proliferation of webcams, digital video cameras, and the like, video conferencing services provided over the Internet are increasing. Typically, such services are found in social networking websites or instant messaging applications.
In some social networking websites or instant messaging applications, users are provided with a virtual video conference interface for real-time communication with other users who are online. To allow users to view each other on the website at their respective locations, they need to have webcams integrated with or connected to their communication units. Examples of such communication units are network enabled desktop computers, laptop computers, mobile phones, personal digital assistants, media players, entertainment devices, and the like. The interface may be in the form of a virtual chat room that requires users to login to engage in video-conferencing with other users.
In the entire video conference experience, the webcams of the users only serve the purpose of capturing the users' presence in the video conference so as to simulate a face to face meeting. The video conference interface usually only provides a display of the webcam view of the user who has been selected to engage in video conferencing. Nothing further is provided by the webcams or the video conference interface to enhance the video conference experience.
A need therefore exists to provide a system and method facilitating user communication from a location that addresses at least one of the above-mentioned problems.